Massive response to MP’s radiotherapy petition

Thousands of local people have signed South Lakes MP Tim Farron's petition to bring a radiotherapy unit to Westmorland General Hospital.

Over 2500 people have signed the petition since it was re-launched last month.

The petition calls upon the current NHS England review into services in Lancashire and South Cumbria to include proposals for a new unit.

At the moment, cancer patients in South Cumbria have to make a two or three-hour round trip to Preston to receive radiotherapy treatment.

NHS England has recently announced a £130m investment into radiotherapy services and has started an open consultation to look into how that money should be spent.

Tim said: "I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has signed the petition calling for there to be a radiotherapy unit at Westmorland General Hospital.

"We all know what a massive trauma being diagnosed with cancer is. We also know that the distance you have to travel to get that care can be part of the problem.

"With the thousands of petition slips we've had back, lots of people have written telling me their story and how a centre at Kendal could've helped them and their love ones.

"I am encouraged by NHS England's announcement of £130m investment into radiotherapy services and have written to the chair of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Alliance to ask how that money could be spent on a radiotherapy unit in Kendal."